Benefits of natural World Heritage

Photo: IUCN/Nik Lopoulehine

Identifying and assessing ecosystem services and benefits provided by the world's natural wonders

The Benefits of Natural World Heritage is a study identifying and assessing the diversity of ecosystem services, and in turn the benefits that World Heritage sites can deliver to society and the economy.

Its main purpose is to increase awareness and understanding of the full range of direct and indirect benefits that local, national and global communities can receive from natural World Heritage sites. Examples of benefits, in addition to biodiversity conservation, include the prevention of floods, opportunities for tourism, cultural and spiritual values and the provision of food and water.

The project includes a report, published in 2014, as well as an interactive map available on worldheritageoutlook.iucn.org. A second phase for the project is currently being developed.

The study has four objectives:

To assess specific ecosystem services (standing carbon and water provision) provided by natural World Heritage sites globally using spatial data;

To explore the full range of benefits provided by natural World Heritage sites globally and at the site level;